Flange locking and distortion preventing means



June 2, 1959 Y. H. KURKJIAN 2,889,064

FLANGE LOCKING AND DISTORTION PREVENTING MEANS Filed May 6, 1955 I l w x/ 2/ 66 y M Ji 4 E/Fl/A/VT (/fi/f A/ #ls ATTORNEY Uited 2,889,064 Patented June 2, 1959 FLANGE LOCKING AND DISTORTION PREVENTING Yervant H. Kurkjian, Clifton, NJ assignor to Kurk Products Co., Clifton, NJ a corporation of New Jersey Application May .6, .lssasenn No. 506,455

3 :Claims. ('Cl. sis-11 This invention relates to a nipple flange locking and distortion preventing means, andhas for one of its obiects the production of a simple and eflicient means for locking the flange of a nursing nipple to the cap of a nursing unit, so that the nipple cannot be pulled out through the opening in the cap aftgr thepap has been secured to the bottle.

Another object of this invention is :the production of a simple and eflicient means for firmly holding the flange of a nipple in an operative or centered position relative to the cap and to hold the flange of the nipple against lateral displacement, so that the vents in the flange will at all times be properly located relative to the cap, and thereby properly function and prevent leakage between the nipple, the cap, and the bottle.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the nipple;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the cap;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the cap, bottle and nipple, the cap being in a pre-locking position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the cap in a locking position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modified form of nipple flange with the cap in a locked position;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the nursing unit showing a further modified form of cap and nipple flange;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of a still further modified type of nipple;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the nipple shown in Figure 7, and showing the cap in a locking position upon the bottle;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the cap used in the assembly shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the nursing unit showing another form of nipple flange and cap;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary top plan view of the nipple shown in Figure 10.

By referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that 15 designates the container or wide mouth nursing bottle having a conventional threaded neck. This nursing bottle may be of the conventional transparent material, such as 'glass, plastic, or the like. A cap 16 is threaded upon the bottle or container 15, and is provided with an inturned flange 17, defining a central opening 18 through which the body of the nipple 19 is adapted to extend.

The bottom face of the flange 17 of the cap 16, is provided with an annular bead or rib 20 of rigid or semirigid material inset from the opening 18 to avoid contact or interference with the vent or vents 21 in the flange 22 of the nipple, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The nipple 19 is of suitable elastic material, having an annular flange 22 which fits .in the cap 16 under the flange 17 of the cap 16 with the body 19 of the nipple extending throughthe opening 18 ofthe cap, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The flange 22 of the nipple is-provided with a protruding compressible annular rib or bead 23 upon its upper face near its outer periphery in a position to abut the head or rib 20 of the cap 16, when the cap 16 is placed in position beyond the vents of the nipple flange, so that the flexible flange 22 may freely flex to open and close the vents to facilitate the flow of fluid from the bottle or container through the body 19 of the nipple.

The stiff bead or rib 20 contacts the compressible bead or rib 23, as shown in Figure 3, and when this head or rib 23 is compressed it will constitute an abutment for the head or rib 20 and firmly lock the flange 22 against accidental removal from the cap 16, and prevent the flange 22 from being pulled from between the bottle neck and the flange 17 of the cap. This is of particular advantage where a plastic bottle is used having a slick nipple contacting surface. Furthermore, this arrangement prevents distortion of the flange while the cap is being secured in place and thereby permits the vents to properly function. The initial nipple engaging position of the cap 16 is shown in Figure 3 and the clamping position is shown in Figure 4.

As shown in the modified form in Figure 5, 24 designates an elastic nipple having an elastic compressible flange 25. This flange 25 is provided with a vent 26 in a position to avoid contact with the upper or outer end 27 of the bottle 28. The flange 25 in this form is pro vided with an inset or recess portion 29 adjacent the periphery thereof, and upon its upper face, and an upstanding compressible rib or bead 30 is carried in this inset recess portion 29 and forms an integral portion of the flange 25. A cap 31 having an inturned flange 32, is removably secured to the bottle or other container 28. The flange 32 is similar to the flange 17 shown in Figure 3, and is provided with a bead or rib 33, preferably tapered in cross section, similar to the bead or rib 20. The rigid or stiff head or rib 33 abuts the compressible bead or rib 30 when the cap is secured to the container, and this compressible head or rib 30 constitutes an abutment to properly center the nipple in the cap and to resist outward pulling of the flange 25 through the cap, after the cap has been secured to the container or bottle 28. The vent 26 is located inwardly relative to the outer periphery of the flange 25 and is spaced from the inset or recess portion 29 so as to present a flat cap contacting face for the flange in the area surrounding the vent and to thereby permit the vent to properly function.

In Figure 6 there is shown a further modified form of flange and cap construction wherein the elastic nipple 35 is provided with an elastic and compressible flange 36. This flange 36 is provided with an abutment shoulder 37 upon its upper face at its periphery which fits in a recess 38 formed in the under face of the flange 3 of the cap 40. A suitable vent 41 is provided in the flange 36 of the nipple inset with respect to the neck 42 of the bottle, and inset with respect to the recess 38 of the cap flange 39 in the same manner as set forth in connection with the other embodiments.

As is shown in the modified form in Figures 7 and 8, the elastic nipple 43 is provided with a compressible vented flange 44. A plurality of integral nibs, teats, or other protuberances 45 are formed upon the upper face of the flange 44 near the periphery thereof against which the rigid or stiff semi-rigid bead or rib 46 of the cap 47 is adapted to abut. The cap 47 in this form is similar to the cap described in the other forms. These protuberances constitute abutments which, when compressed. and when contacted by the bead or 11b 46, resist pulling of the flange 44 from between the outer end of the bottle and Q the flange 45 after the cap has been secured to the bottle. These teats or protuberances are expansible when the cap is released from the bottle, because of their elastic nature, and will break the vacuum seal of the nipple when the cap is released.

In Figures 9 and 10, there is shown a still further modified form of the invention, wherein the elastic nipple 48 is provided with an elastic compressible flange 49, having a suitable vent 50. The flange 49 is provided with an annular channel 51 upon its upper face, for receiving a rigid, stifl, or semi-rigid bead or rib 52 formed upon the under face of the flange 53 of the cap 54. The rib 53 is adapted to fit in the channel 51, and thereby anchor the nipple flange 49 in a clamped position when the cap 54 is firmly secured to the bottle neck 55.

Having described the invention, What I claim as new is:

1. An elastic nipple comprising a body having a vented compressible nipple flange and a plurality of compressible teat protuberances formed upon the upper face thereof.

2. An elastic nipple comprising a body having a compressible nipple flange and a plurality of circumferentially spaced compressible teat protuberances formed upon an abutment engaging face of said flange.

3. A nursing unit comprising a wide open end container, a cap adjustably mounted upon said open end of said container, said cap having an inwardly extending nipple retaining flange, an elastic nipple extending through said cap, said nipple having a compressible flange interposed between the open end of said container and said flange of said cap, a compressible abutment element carried adjacent the outer periphery of said nipple flange and engaging the under face of said cap flange, a relatively rigid rib carried bylthe under face of said cap flange and abutting said compressible abutment element for locking said nipple flange against lateral displacement from between said container and said cap flange and also for centering said nipple in said cap, and said flange havin-g venting means normally closed by said cap flange and inset relative to the container and rib of said cap to facilitate the operation of said vent, the anchoring of said nipple flange preventing the pulling of said nipple through said cap and preventing the removal of said nipple from said nursing unit after the cap has been secured in place until said cap is removed from said unit, said abutment element comprising aplurality of integral expansible protuberances arranged near the periphery of said nipple flange to engage said relative stiflE rib of said cap, the expansible protuberances constituting means for breaking the vacuum seal of the nipple flange when the cap is released from the container.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,303,546 Eggers May 13, 1919 2,093,130 Kurkjian Sept. 14, 1937 2,093,730 Kurkjian Sept. 21, 1937 2,720,328 Clemens Oct. 11, 1955 2,753,067 Rodriguez July 3, 1956 

